https://kingstonhospital.nhs.uk/information/frozen-shoulder
Frozen shoulder (also known as adhesive capsulitis) is a condition where there is significant stiffness and pain in the shoulder.
The shoulder joint consists of the upper arm bone (called the humerus) and the shoulder blade (the scapula). This joint is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder happens when this capsule thickens and becomes tight. This restricts the shoulder from moving and can cause pain. It is common to suffer from night pain, which can disrupt your sleep.
For advice about pain relief, speak to your GP.
Frozen shoulder is described in three stages. Each stage can last months.
Typically, symptoms begin gradually and worsen over time. It can take anything between 6 months and 3 years to recover.
| Freezing stage Lasts 6 to 9 weeks |
| During this stage, the range of movement in the shoulder will gradually reduce. Normally, any shoulder movement will be painful. |
| Frozen stage Lasts 4 to 6 months |
| During this stage, the shoulder continues to get stiffer. However, the pain may begin to ease. |
| Thawing stage Lasts 6 months to 2 years |
| During this phase, the movement in the shoulder begins to improve, although full recovery can take up to 3 years. It is in this phase that physiotherapy can be most helpful. |
It is not known exactly why this condition happens. However, it is more likely to happen for some of the following reasons.
Being 40 or older, particularly for females, increases the risk of having a frozen shoulder.
People who’ve had reduced movement of the shoulder for a while are at higher risk of developing frozen shoulder. This includes problems such as:
People with certain health conditions are more likely to develop frozen shoulder. Conditions that may increase the risk include:
People who smoke are more likely to develop frozen shoulder. Smoking also slows down healing.
For help with quitting, talk to your GP or pharmacist, or go to www.smokefree.nhs.uk.
The best way to improve your shoulder movement is by doing certain exercises. This will help you stretch the joint capsule in various ways.
Here are some examples of good exercises to help with your frozen shoulder. The Versus Arthritis Shoulder Pain online booklet has other, more challenging, exercises. Once recovered, you should continue with the exercises for 6 to 8 weeks to help prevent symptoms returning.
| Physiotherapy |
020 8934 2510 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) khft.physioop@nhs.net |
| Translate | Please speak to a member of staff before or during your visit to the hospital if you require translation. |
| Accessibility | Please contact the Patient Experience Team on 020 8934 3850 if you need this information in a different format. For information accessibility please visit Kingston Hospital AccessAble www.accessable.co.uk/kingston-hospital-nhs-foundation-trust |
| Support services
www.kingstonhospital.nhs.uk Switchboard 020 8546 7711 |
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Please speak to a member of staff before or during your visit to the hospital if you require translation support to access Patient Information. Please ring the phone number on your appointment letter, if you have one.
Please contact the Patient Experience Team on 020 893 3850 if you need this information in a different format.
For detailed information on accessibility at Kingston Hospital visit Kingston Hospital AccessAble (https://www.accessable.co.uk/kingston-hospital-nhs-foundation-trust).
Visit the hospital website, ask a member of staff, or ring us for details.